


The Misery of Clark Kent

by Crimson_Princess



Category: Superman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Abandoned. And up for pick up, Everyone wants to torment Clark, F/M, Gen, Just teasing, Kon-El | Conner Kent-centric, Lois unofficially adopts Superboy, NOT bashing, one sided crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27805642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimson_Princess/pseuds/Crimson_Princess
Summary: The G-Gnomes left something else in Conner’s head along with his training.A crush on a certain reporter.
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Kon-El | Conner Kent & Lois Lane, One sided Conner Kent/Lois Lane
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	The Misery of Clark Kent

The Misery of Clark Kent

* * *

  
Dinah was the first to notice something was off about Conner.  
  
He had gone off and came home pensive and silent. Dinah was about to give a certain kryptonian a piece of her mind. But he had promised he had not seen Conner in a while.  
  
After another training session with Conner. The awkward boy shuffled his feet.  
  
“What do you do if you like someone?” He asked, his cheeks pink.  
  
And it was all Dinah could do to not squeal at the adorable sight in front of her. Stopping herself from pinching his rock hard cheeks, she took a calming breath.  
  
“Well, you can give them flowers.”  
  


* * *

  
  
Bruce was the next.  
  
He caught Conner glancing at flowers on his laptop, frowning noticeably. The two were alone in the Mountain, M’gann having gone on a girl’s trip with Artemis.  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
“I want to buy a bouquet.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Canary said that’s what girls like.”  
  
“And?”  
  
“But I don’t have enough money.”  
  
Bruce raised an eyebrow. He had given Superboy, his monthly allowance only a week ago. That he had run out so quickly was cause for alarm.  
  
Bruce made a note to teach Conner how to manage his money better in the future.  
  
But for the situation at hand he opened his utility belt and handed the Superboy his Bat Credit card.  
  
“So you can buy her something nice.”  
  
As Bruce would later realize that night. Conner hadn’t spent a single cent of his allowance yet as he looked at the fifteen thousand dollar purchase on his statement.  
  


* * *

  
  
The statement Bruce receives unfortunately does not tell him the address of where the flowers will be delivered. Only that they come from a florist in Metropolis.  
  
The strange mystery girl that had convinced him to spend such a exorbitant amount had kept the two den-mothers’ attention.  
  
So Bruce and Dinah decided to make a day of watching the flowers as they were delivered to  
  
Oliver joined them because he had nothing better to do. And not as he was accused trying to scout out Artemis’ competition.  
  
As they stealthily watched the van from the roof tops. They noticed they were being led to a very familiar location.  
  
“You don’t think,” Dinah said in disbelief.  
  
The van stopped directly in front of the daily planet. And the man sized bouquet of roses was dragged out.  
  
The trio could clearly see the Delivery man mouthing the words, “For Lois Lane,” from across the street.  
  
Oliver was the first to start chuckling, a belly shaking laugh. Before Dinah joined him, doubled over, tears streaming her face.  
  
Bruce managed to control himself. Although a mean spirited smirk was now on his face. He shushed the other two and guided them away. Thinking, Fifteen thousand was a small price to pay to see this.

* * *

Lois was currently in the midst of wondering if one could spontaneously get heat vision as she glared a hole at the back of Clark Kent’s Head. As he sat serenely in the neighboring cubicle.  
  
Despite his size, he was deceptively fast and had beaten her to the latest scoop. A story that was becoming upsettingly common the last couple of weeks.  
  
It hurt her pride. She had to admit.  
  
The elevator opened with a ding and Lois instinctively looked up. A delivery man carrying the largest bouquet she had ever seen came out.  
  
Cat probably wooed another celebrity. Lois rolled her eyes. She was probably going to hear her hush about meeting so and so all throughout lunch.  
  
Cat clearly expecting the same, was equally surprised when the delivery man walked by her. Stopping on Lois’ desk. The delivery man asked, “Lois Lane?”  
  
She nodded and he handed her a clip board. She Messily signed it with her eyes glued the bouquet, the entire time.  
  
The bouquet was gorgeous. It was over a hundred roses of every color. Each rose roughly her height. Tied together by a red silk ribbon and a vase that might as well call itself a bucket. Just a single glance told her this bouquet was very expensive.  
  
After experimentingly poking it with the metal reacher she had bought for the sole purpose of taking parts of Clark’s lunch without getting up. She waited for it to explode or grow tentacles or spit spores. She didn’t think she pissed off Poison Ivy recently. But she can’t be expected to remember every person she pissed off in a day. Can she?  
  
The bouquet stayed stable and the deliveryman rolled his eyes, handing her a envelope on expensive stationary. Before making his way back to the elevator.  
  
Opening it, she saw stationary that was clearly worth a few hundred dollars. Despite that, the message itself was simple and succinct.  
  
_I like you-SB_  
  
Lois went through her mental contact list as she slipped the note back into its envelope. Searching for anyone who would share the initials. But came up blank.  
  
Silver Banshee? But she was still sealed up from when Superman and Wonder Woman teamed up. And wouldn’t be reappearing until the next eclipse.  
  
She was still in the midst of figuring out who her secret admirer could be when Clark attracted by the bouquet got up from his cubicle came to ask, “Who sent this?” Touching a blue rose experimentally.  
  
Lois, feeling particularly petty today slipped the envelope into her bra. “Well, Smallville, you sure got a nose for news lately. I’m sure you can figure it out.”

* * *

Conner felt...frustrated.

Cadmus didn’t really prepare him for feelings. And he knew compared to the others he knew he was missing _something._ He got angry too quickly. He couldn’t really fit in.

He knew even his school friends only tolerated him for M’gann’s sake. Mal, clearly didn’t like him. And to be honest Conner wasn’t really fond of him in return.

But once he had learned that Lois Lane was real. Mister Carr having used one of her articles in class. He had gone to Metropolis to get a peek at her. Doing his best to not try to get Superman’s attention for once.

And he had caught her eating a hot dog from a rather sketchy looking vendor on the street, in the midst of yelling into her cellphone. The same purple eyes that haunted his dreams glinting brightly.

It felt like something wasn’t.

Cadmus hadn’t taught him much.

But it had always put him through the same simulation.

Save Lois Lane.

He had saved her hundreds of times. He had held her. He knew her.

He _liked_ her.

He just didn’t know what to do with that.

Canary had said flowers. And so he got the best bouquet he could find with the help of the card that Batman let him keep. But that didn’t seem enough.

So he turned his attention to M’gann. She was always watching romantic movies. Maybe she would know what to do.

“The movies always say flowers are good ,” M’gann said.

Conner shook his head.

“I did that. I sent her the biggest bouquet I could find.”

M’gann clapped her hands together. “Did you try chocolate?”

* * *

“Lois Lane?”

Lois looked up to see another delivery man.

“Come on!” She heard Cat strangle out. As dozens and dozens of gourmet boxes of chocolate dropped onto her desk.

Lois opened the envelope and saw a matching note as the flowers. Once again, hiding the letter from the now peering Clark.

She opened a box and took a piece. And Lois was pretty sure this is what heaven would taste like.

She offered a piece to the now frowning Clark who instantly refused.

“Jimmy!” She called to the clearly jealous photographer doing his best to act like he wasn’t affected. “Want to try the best thing you’ll ever eat?”

* * *

Conner then asked Artemis while she was in the midst of training.

“Well if it was me,” Artemis said between her push up. “I’d think chocolate and flowers are nice and all. But not all girls like that you know. I for example would really love if a guy brought me a big TV. I got a real shitty one at home.”

* * *

“Lois Lane?”

Lois ignored the rough growl that came from Cat.

Instead of flowers, or chocolate. The delivery man dropped a large box in front of her desk. The note once again. Identical and once again she kept it away from the nosy farm boy at her desk.

She ripped open the wrapping paper and underneath was a hundred and twenty inch flat screen television.

“I love him,” Lois said hugging the box. Ignoring the look of alarm on Clark’s face and the look of jealousy on Cat’s.

* * *

Alright, even Conner knew this was probably a bad idea.

But Black Canary wasn’t home. And Kaldur had gone home to Atlantis. And M’gann and Artemis’s ideas didn’t seem to work.

So he had asked Wally and Robin for help with his dillema.

Both wearing grins so large, Conner felt like he was making a deal with a devil.

“Listen here, Supey,” Wally said, wrapping his arms around him like a snake.“The Wall-Man will show you the way to a young maiden’s heart.”

“Yeah,” said Robin still grinning. “We’ll tell you all you need to do.”

* * *

“Lois!” Clark barked. “You can’t accept this.”

Lois looked at the Lamborghini, the exact shade of her eyes that was dropped off in front of the daily planet. Cat had left the building using a sick day.

“Why not?”

“I agree with CK, LL,” Jimmy added. “The chocolate and stuff was one thing. You’re gonna break this poor guy’s heart.”

Lois looked at the judging looks of her two friends and sighed. Well aware she couldn’t keep this.

Whoever this person was. She would meet with them. And give them the car back.

She clasped the car keys.

But she was at least going to take a ride in it.

* * *

“Oh Superboy,” Kaldur said as Conner filled him in on what happened in his abscence. “Wally? Robin? You know better by now.”

“You weren’t here.” Conner defended.

“And that’s still better than asking those two for advice in matters such as these.” Kaldur admonished. “And you know how they are when they’re together.”

“I just wanted to know what to do.”

“Flowers and Candy are nice. But they are just things. And you do not want someone who will like you for the things you give them:” Kaldur said, placing a firm hand on Conner’s shoulder “If you want her to like you back. The best thing you can do is talk to her. And tell her how you feel face to face.”

“Alright,” Conner said. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

Kaldur nodded in approval and let go.

“A Lamborghini?” Kaldur repeated in amazement. “Conner, even you must have know that wasn’t right.”

* * *

Cat was practically preening the next day when no deliveries arrived. And Lois had to admit she was pretty glad as well. After the last delivery, she could have only imagined what her secret admirer would have given her next.  
  
Instead all that she was given was a plain note to meet her admirer at a nearby diner after work.  
  
Now Lois had dealt with these situations before with more than a few men that turned out to be supervillains. So she knew she couldn’t go in totally blind.  
  
So she borrowed Jimmy and more importantly his signal watch to be her lookout. Entering the diner over an hour earlier than the note said. Driving the purple luxury car for the last time.  
  
In case the guy—or woman turned out to be the type who couldn’t quite take no for a answer and tried to destroy the city in response.  
  
After the third or so time, you had to adapt.  
  
Lois took a seat on the table closest to the door, while Jimmy in a hat took a seat on the counter.  
  
Every time, the door opened, the bell attached would jingle and Lois would look up.  
  
And every time they would pass her by without a second look. After a while, Lois stopped paying attention and turned her attention to her phone,  
  
“Lois Lane,” a familiar voice said.  
  
Lois looked up and it was all she could do to not scream.  
  
She recognized that face. The eerie, blue eyes that no human quite had. It was younger, and still had baby fat.  
  
But it was Superman’s.  
  
...The black S shirt didn’t help.  
  
“Hello,” she said experimentally. Sizing the boy up. Wondering if this was another prank by a certain fifth dimensional imp.  
  
The boy took a seat, opposite her and shoved his hands into his pocket and looked away. It was plain to see that he was nervous.  
  
“I’m Superboy,” he told her.  
  
And suddenly the initials clicked while dozens of alarms went off in her head. But she held them back and simply asked, “Like Superman?”  
  
He nodded. But he didn’t seem very happy about it. “I’m his clone.”  
  
Lois stopped herself from running at the statement. The boy didn’t seem threatening. So she would give him a chance.  
  
“And you were the one sending me all those gifts this week,” she asked. Already knowing the answer.  
  
He nodded.  
  
“Well thank you, very much.” She said kindly, fishing out the keys for car outside. “Everything you sent was lovely. But I don’t think I can accept this.”  
  
He didn’t seem surprised or offended. He just muttered under his breathe, “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Kid Flash and Robin.”  
  
Lois pursed her lips at that. It at least clarified that Superman and the justice league was already aware of his existence. She had expected better of sidekicks. But it seems even heroes weren’t above childish pranks.  
  
“You can keep it,” he said dismissively.  
  
No, she could not. Despite how much she wanted to. And left the keys untouched on the table. Taking the sign he, fished his hands out of pocket and took them back.  
  
After a beat of silence, Superboy said, “I like you.”  
  
“I’m sorry, Superboy,” she said as gently as possible. “But I don’t feel the same way about you.”  
  
Lois kind of wished he just threw a rampage or declare he would kill her. Because looking at him felt like she kicked a puppy.  
  
“But why?”  
  
Honestly, was this the start of _her_ supervillain origin? This was painful.  
  
“Because I don’t know you,” she said.  
  
“But I know _you_ ,” he said.  
  
Lois shook her head. “No, you don’t.”  
  
She stretched her hands out to clasp his.  
  
“But I’d happy to get to know you, okay?”  
  
Disappointment evident, he mumbled, “okay.”  
  
“Do you have another name besides Superboy, I mean?” Lois asked. Was he a Kal-El junior, perhaps?  
  
“Conner Kent.”  
  
As the words sunk in Lois blinked once. Then twice.  
  
“That son of a bitch!”

* * *

Clark knew something was off as soon as he saw Lois.  
  
She was humming.  
  
Lois did not hum.  
  
“How was your date?” He asked.  
  
“It was divine!” Lois said with far too much cheer. “I’m meeting him for dinner, tonight.”  
  
Clark felt like he was punched in the chest by Metallo.  
  
Lois ignoring his discomfort added, “He’s a great guy, Clark. Awkward and with more money then sense. But a sweetheart.”  
  
“Glad to hear it,” he lied.

* * *

  
  
Clark had to spend most of his day, listening to Lois gush to Cat about her secret admirer. Until the woman made a lazy excuse to leave.  
  
Jimmy was no help. According to him, Lois made him leave after five minutes. The woman practically shielding him from the photographer’s view.  
  
Around lunch, Lois had pulled out a blue dress and a red dress that she said she couldn’t choose between for her dinner date today.  
  
She didn’t leave him alone until he picked one.  
  
So he picked the blue. A tiny part of taking the small victory that it was the inferior dress.  
  
“The red I knew it,” Lois said, dismissing his choice and putting them away.  
  
In short, today was hell and he was looking to punch something  
  
So of course as soon as he prepared to leave the building, leaving Lois behind to change for her date, he would see Superboy in the lobby.  
  
Because of course.  
  
Did he cross a leprechaun today or something?  
  
Not in his normal T-shirt. Thank Rao for small miracles. But a simple suit instead.  
  
Clark stopped himself from superspeeding the boy away. And patiently made his toward the boy to tell him how inappropriate he was being.  
  
The boy looked at him and Clark instantly knew something was wrong. Because there wasn’t a spark of recognition in his eyes.  
  
“Can I help you?” He asked in confusion.  
  
Realizing his identity was safe, Clark backtracked immediately, “Oh, no! It’s just you looked a little lost. That’s all.”  
  
Superboy rolled his eyes. “I’m waiting for someone.”  
  
“Who?” He asked.  
  
“You’re a nosy guy, aren’t you?” Superboy said, crossing his arms.  
  
Clark bit back the dozens of things he wanted to say. And just took it as a sign, he should go home.  
  
The elevator dinged and he turned around to see Lois in the short, red dress that he didn’t choose.  
  
“Conner,” Lois waved. “Find the place, okay?”  
  
Superboy nodded smiling widely at her.  
  
Clark’s first thought was, ‘ _His name is Conner?’_ And the realization he didn’t know Superboy had been even capable of such a kind expression as the one he was giving the reporter. He had only seen the boy staring at him with a painful wistful expression or in the middle of a rage.  
  
“Oh that’s right,” Lois said, “introductions are in order aren’t they?”  
  
“Conner, this is my coworker, Clark. Clark, this cutie is my secret admirer, Conner.” She said pecking Superboy on the cheek. His face turning slightly red at the action.  
  
Clark inwardly cursed but stretched his hand out. “Nice to meet you,”  
  
Super—Conner grunted and barely touched his hand in response before letting the reporter’s hand flop.  
  
“Can we go now?” He asked.  
  
Lois nodded before turning her attention back to him, “Bye Clark!”  
  
Clark stood immobile for several seconds just watching the duo leave.  
  
“Your coworker’s a bit nosy.” Conner whispered to her, repeating his earlier statement.  
  
“Yeah, he does that.” Lois stage whispered back to him.  
  
As they left the building, Clark knew he was going to have a long, long talk with Bruce.

* * *

Clark after getting his bearings made his way to Justice League headquarters.  
  
He found the dark knight in the middle of a conversation with Black Canary, Red Tornado and the other children’s Mentors in the cafeteria.  
  
Matching his way over to the group, he took a seat opposite of the dark knight and sat down.  
  
“Is something wrong?” Bruce asked insincerely, comfirming what the reporter already assumed.  
  
“Superboy. Lois,” He gritted out. “they went out on a date tonight.”  
  
“This is brand new information!” Oliver exclaimed before Black Canary jabbed him in the side.  
  
“I see,” Bruce said. “And?”  
  
“And?” Clark repeated. “You’re fine with this?”  
  
“It’s just a crush,” Dinah said interrupting Bruce’s response and waving him off. “It’s good for him to have normal experiences like this.”  
  
“He bought her a half a million dollar car. That’s not normal.”  
  
“Yeah,” Flash said sheepishly. “That was Wally’s idea. My bad.”  
  
“Stop this,” Clark begged.  
  
“Why? He likes her. It’s not hurting anyone. Just let it be.”  
  
“Because it’s gross!” Superman said slamming his hand on the reinforced table. “She kissed him on the cheek today and I almost gagged.”  
  
Dinah clicked her tongue. “I understand...”  
  
Superman let out a sigh of relief.  
  
“You’re jealous.” She said and the rest of the table agreed.  
  
“What?” He asked incredulously.  
  
“You’ve been chasing after Lois for what five years now?” Dinah asked in faux realization. “Superboy managed to score a date in a week. It must be a sore spot.”  
  
“Indeed. Purely from a numbers perspective. Superboy has a higher chance with her.” Red Tornado added. “If current patterns continue, Superboy will be a adult long before you manage to “make your move” as it were.” Using air quotes, for the first time the man of steel could remember.  
  
Superman sighed again, realizing everyone in front of him wouldn’t lift a finger to help him.  
  
“I want you guys to know one thing.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“I hate you all.”

* * *

  
Superboy was actually weirdly okay with giving his name out. He gave both of his names to the forever people.  
  
This is weirdly becoming less Superboy deals with puppy love. And more Lois helping teach Conner, how to healthily deal with his feelings (which canon SB does not know how to do) while slowly, unofficially adopting him. At the expense of Clark, dealing with awkwardness of Lois and Conner bonding while being completely unable to say anything.  
  
This idea like all of mine are up for grabs


End file.
